Note: 1788 is as far as I have gone with this John Poythress, son of Charles Poythress.

Family
John Poythress was born after 1739. On April 9, 1739, a marriage contract was entered, in Henrico County, between Charles Poythress and Catherine Crawford, the parents of John Poythress (aft. 1739-). The contract was recorded in Chesterfield County. John’s grandparents were Ralph Crawforth (Crawford) and Elizabeth Claiborne Crawford  Anderson.

Inheritance
In Chesterfield County, the Will of Elizabeth Anderson, of Dale Parish, Chesterfield County, dated October 9, 1759, recorded in 1761.
To my daughter, Elizabeth Crowley, 1 negro.
To my grandson, John Poythress, 1 mulatto, and if he dies without heirs, then to my son Claiborne Anderson.
To my grandson, John Anderson, 1 mulatto, and if he dies with out heirs, then to my son Claiborne Anderson.
The rest of my estate to my son, Claiborne Anderson.
The witnesses were Henry Hamton, James Waldrop, John Waldrop and Penellope Parrot.
[Elizabeth Claiborne, daughter of William Claiborne III, married Ralph Crawforth (Crawford), and was the mother of two children by him. Her daughter, Catherine Crawforth, married Charles Poythress. Her daughter, Elizabeth Crawforth, married Henry Anderson, Jr., the son of Elizabeth Claiborne Crawforth Anderson’s second husband, Henry Anderson. Henry Anderson, Sr., died in 1734.]

Professional Life
February 21, 1769, in Lunenburg County, John Lanthrope, of Lunenburg County, to John Poythress, of Prince George County. John Lanthrope, to the intent that the sum of £38/10/0 may be secured and paid to John Poythress, and for and in consideration of £38/10/0 to him paid by Poythress, lent, paid, and advanced before the sealing, has granted Poythress a certain tract of land in Lunenburg in Cumberland parish, adjoining the land of John Parker, John Stegall, John Wright, and on Stony Creek, containing about 248 acres. If Lanthrope pays Poythress the £38/10/0 + interest + costs by next February 21, then this mortgage shall cease and be utterly void. After default Poythress may occupy the premises, or, in trust, may sell the premises for the best price that can be had to discharge the debt, with the overplus, if any, going to Lanthrope. The witnesses, John Ballard, Jr., Jere. Bailey, John Flood Edmunds and Sterling Edmunds.

Prince George Co., VA. 9 Jun 1787. Commission & Certificate. Peter Poythress and John Poythress, Gent., are appointed to obtain dower relinquishment of Elizabeth Leath, wife of Peter Leath, for 400ac in Amelia Co. sold to Peter Randolph Bland of Prince George Co. on 2 aug 1766. Elizabeth Leath, wife of Peter Leath, relinquished her right of dower before them on 8 dec 1767, and it was recorded on 24 mar 1768.

Civic Activities
In August, 1766, to Peter Poythress and John Poythress, Gentlemen, greeting. Peter Leath, by his deed of August, 1766, sold to Peter Randolph Bland, of Prince George County, 400 acres, in Amelia County, on Leath’s Creek. Eliza., the wife of Peter Leath cannot conveniently travel to our county to make acknowledgement of the deed. You are therefore authorized to go to Eliza. to receive her acknowledgment. Signed June 9, in the 7th year of our reign, T. G. Peachy. Eliza Leath relinquished her right of dower to the conveyed lands. Signed by Peter Poythress and John Poythress.

November 20, 1766, in the Virginia Gazette, taken up, in Prince George County, a horse colt, posted, and appraised to 50 shillings. John Poythress, Jr.

In Southampton County, the Will of Edward Lundy, of St. Luke parish, dated October 24, 1770.
A legacy to son, James; son, Drewry; son, John; son, Edward; son, Byrd; land, in Sussex County; daughter, Elizabeth Harris; daughter, Christian Reese (written Rose in another place); grandson, James Holt; granddaughter, Clerimont Holt; grandson, Henry Holt. Executors, sons, Edward and Drewry Lundy. The Will was dated October 24, 1770, and recorded March 11, 1773. The witnesses were Henry Pritchett, John Poythress and James Day Ridley.

December 13, 1770, in the Virginia Gazette, the vestry of Martin’s Brandon parish, in Prince George County, have ordered the following additional improvements to be made upon the glebe of the said parish, to wit: a kitchen, 32 by 18 feet, with a outside brick chimnies; a stable, 24 by 16 feet; a barn, 40 by 20 feet; a dairy, and a smoke house each 12 feet square; a necessary house, 8 feet square, all well framed, weather boarded with plank, and shingled with cypress shingles, underpinned with brick, and tarred; a garden 200 feet square, —– with heart of poplar or cypress —-, with ————-. The dwelling house, which is 4- by – feet, to be repaired, and to be well painted, and the foot to be tarred; a room to be added to it at each end, 14 by 18 feet, and a fire place in each room; a handsome porch, on each side the dwelling house 10 by 8 feet, and a porch at one end of the house. The additional buildings and porches to be underpinned with brick, and strong steps to each porch; the covered way into the cellar to be altered, and the whole work to be finished in a workmanlike manner. Part of the value of the buildings to be paid at the time of letting them, other part in July next, and the remainder upon the work being finished. Whoever is willing to undertake the said work is desired to meet the subscribers at the glebe, on Monday the 31st of December next, who are expected by the vestry, to agree with workmen for the said improvements. Signed by Richard Bland, Theodorick Bland, Peter Poythress and John Poythress.

November 28, 1771, in the Virginia Gazette, “to be sold to the highest bidder, on Thursday the 12th of December, at the late dwelling house of James Holloway, deceased, in Prince George County. All the personal estate of the said James Holloway, consisting of a variety of household furniture, and a large stock of cattle, among which are three yoke of oxen, horses, hogs and sheep. Crops of corn and fodder, the plantation utensils, and many other articles. Six months credit will be allowed the purchasers, on giving Bond and good Security. At the same time and place, will be hired several likely slaves, consisting of men, women, boys, and girls; also to be rented, for a term of years, a plantation in good order for the cropping, with convenient outhouses. John Poythress and Hamilton Jones, executors.”

April 17, 1788, in Sussex County, account of the estate of John Edmunds, deceased, by Sterling Edmunds, shows, among many others, John Poythress for Major William Poythress, Colonel Peter Poythress.

Property

1782, Dinwiddie Co., Personal Property Taxes:

Name                         Fr MaleTithes     Negro Tithes     Negros underage     Horses      Catle

John Jones, Jr.                 3                            26                         43                    13            41

John Poythress

Joseph Hazlewood

June 11, 1800 Personal A (Tax List) Dinwiddie Co. p. 14

Proprietors name     free males >16        Blacks >16    Blacks >12 & <16    Horses     Revenue tax

John Poythress         John Poythress                                                                    1                 12

Highlights:

John Poythress (aft. 1739-aft. 1788), Gentleman, of Pr. Geo. Co., son of Chas. Poythress, 5^th gen.

– born about 1740

– inherited slave from grandmother, Eliz. Anderson, Dale parish, Chesterfield Co., 1759-1761

– 248 acres on Stony cr. adj. John Parker, John Stegall, John Wright, Cumberland parish, Lunenburg Co., 1769 (from Brunswick Co. 1746)

– witnessed Will of Edward Lundy, Southampton Co., 1770

– vestry, Martin’s Brandon parish, Pr. Geo. Co., 1770

– executor with Hamilton Jones for James Holloway, dec’d., Pr. Geo. Co., 1771

– appeared on account of estate of John Edmunds, dec’d., Sussex Co., 1788

First document: 1766 (age ~26)

Chas. Poythress land:300 ac. Oldfield br. Butterwood sw., 640 ac. Hawkins cr. N. C. = 940 ac.

sold 644 ac. Hawkins cr. N. C. = 644 ac.

248 ac. Stony cr. adj. Parker, Stegall, Wright, Lunenburg Co. = 248 ac. thru 1788

Slaves: inherited (1) mulatto from grandmother (1761); (1) slave (1800)

Neighbors: John Parker, John Stegall, John Wright